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This 1999 guide by the Center for International Environmental Law provides activists with legal arguments to defend mandatory genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling against challenges from the World Trade Organization (WTO). It analyzes the application of the TBT and SPS Agreements, arguing that labeling is consistent with trade rules when based on the consumer's right to know and non-food-safety considerations.

This document is a participant list for the Sixth Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) held in Ottawa, Canada. It lists representatives from various countries (including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA), observers from other nations and organizations (such as Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, APN, CARICOM, OAS, and WMO), and IAI staff.

This document is a participant list for the Ninth Meeting of the IAI Executive Council (EC), held in Ottawa, Canada.

The report proposes the creation of a 'Compliance Fund' to allow Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol to avoid non-compliance by paying fees for GHG mitigation credits when market options are unavailable. It advocates for this fund over 'borrowing' from future periods and suggests a 'Compliance Assessment' system, enforceable through domestic courts via a 'Recognition Agreement,' to penalize and remedy willful non-compliance.

This document is a draft administrative budget proposal for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for the 1999/2000 fiscal year, detailing projected expenditures, estimated cash balances, and member country contributions.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) details a legal challenge to Plant Patent No. 5,751, issued to Loren Miller for a variety of the Amazon rainforest plant Banisteriopsis caapi (used to make ayahuasca). The challenge, supported by COICA and the Amazon Coalition, argues the patent is invalid because the plant's medicinal properties and physical features are already known as 'prior art' and the plant exists in an uncultivated state. Beyond this specific case, the authors call for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to review how traditional knowledge and biological diversity are treated under patent law to prevent the appropriation of indigenous resources without consent.

This document is a detailed statement submitted by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) requesting the reexamination of U.S. Plant Patent No. 5,751. The patent, issued to Loren S. Miller for a cultivar of Banisteriopsis caapi named "Da Vine," is challenged on the grounds that the plant is neither new nor distinct, is found in an uncultivated state, and violates public policy and morality by appropriating sacred indigenous knowledge.

This amicus brief, submitted by the Center for International Environmental Law and other organizations, argues that United States import prohibitions on shrimp harvested without turtle excluder devices (TEDs) are consistent with WTO rules. The brief contends that these measures are justified under GATT Article XX as necessary for the conservation of endangered sea turtles, a goal supported by international environmental law and the principles of sustainable development.

The report documents the eleventh meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), held April 19-20, 1999, in Lima, Peru. The meeting focused on the management of the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) and Initial Science Program (ISP), the implementation of the Program to Expand the Scientific Capacity in the Americas (PESCA), and the development of communication strategies and international collaborations with organizations such as VAMOS and LOICZ.

The report details the proceedings of the 11th Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Lima, Peru, on April 19-20, 1999. The meeting focused on updating the status of research programs, addressing institutional conflicts of interest, and planning future scientific collaborations and training initiatives.

This research paper describes Singapore's strategies for integrating environmental protection with economic growth, focusing on the use of market-based instruments, international standards, and productivity programs to achieve sustainable development.

This research paper examines the emergence of markets for global environmental services in Central America, focusing on greenhouse gas emission reduction trading in Costa Rica and the role of shade-grown coffee in biodiversity and carbon sequestration in El Salvador.

This document contains the proceedings of a Trade and Sustainable Development Workshop held on 1-2 July 1999 in Midrand, South Africa. Hosted by the IUCN, the Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM), and the Trade and Industrial Policy Secretariat (TIPS), and funded by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the workshop aimed to identify international and domestic trends, research focus areas, and strategic interventions for South Africa regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other trade policy negotiations to promote sustainable development.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive overview of 21 international agreements and instruments governing the trade of domestically prohibited goods (DPGs). It categorizes these goods into chemicals, pharmaceutical products, consumer products, and hazardous wastes, analyzing the legal and voluntary frameworks designed to protect importing countries—particularly developing nations—from risks to human, animal, plant health, and the environment.

The document proposes a strategic commercialization path for fuel cells and hydrogen (H2) that avoids the need for immediate, massive bulk-supply infrastructure. The strategy relies on the development of "Hypercars"—ultralight, high-efficiency vehicles—and the integration of fuel-cell deployment between buildings and vehicles. By first establishing fuel cells in buildings for co- or trigeneration and using decentralized "hydrogen appliances" for production, the market can build the volume necessary to reduce fuel-cell costs to levels competitive for vehicles. Ultimately, the strategy envisions a transition from decentralized production to bulk supply, including wellhead reforming of natural gas with carbon sequestration and the conversion of hydroelectric dams into "Hydro-Gen" plants.

This 1999 report analyzes the economics of greenhouse gas mitigation in Ecuador, forecasting CO2 emission trends up to 2030. It highlights a history of economic instability and a heavy reliance on oil, while proposing a mitigation scenario that could reduce CO2 emissions by 15 million tons. The study finds that the industry sector offers the highest mitigation potential, while the transport sector is the most difficult to abate. It also examines the sensitivity of various economic sectors to energy price increases, noting that the chemical and power sectors are most vulnerable.

This case study examines Molten Metal Technology Inc. (MMT) between 1989 and 1995, focusing on its development of Catalytic Extraction Processing (CEP) to recycle hazardous and radioactive waste. While MMT achieved significant financial growth through an IPO and government grants, and formed strategic alliances with firms like Lockheed Martin, the company struggled to transition from R&D to full commercial operation by late 1995.

This research paper assesses Western efforts to develop African peacekeeping capabilities in the late 1990s, specifically focusing on the 'P-3 Initiative' (US, UK, and France) and Danish contributions. The authors argue that while these capacity-building programs provide tangible training and equipment, they are primarily driven by Western domestic political desires to avoid direct military or financial involvement in African conflicts. The document also details the institutional, financial, and operational limitations of African regional bodies like the OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS in managing peace and security independently.

The draft minutes of the eighth meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, on November 23-24, 1998, detail discussions on scientific capacity building, funding challenges, and the approval of research programs for the Americas.

This report documents the proceedings of the Lima Workshop on Mining and Sustainable Development in the Americas, held from June 27-29, 1998. The event brought together 76 representatives from 11 countries—including industry, government, NGOs, and indigenous peoples—to discuss improving mining policies and practices to ensure they contribute to sustainable development in the hemisphere.